Bike cuts off when Clutch Pulled IN

[dapasda]

I have a problem with the bike cutting off when the clutch is PULLED IN. I have read posts where other users have had problems when they let the clutch OUT.

After the bike starts, it usually runs good. After riding for a while, when I slow down at a traffic light or stop sign, and pull in the clutch, the bike will shut down. (This does not happen every time - It is intermittent)

When I try to restart it, the battery seems low, and it will not start. After sitting for a while it will start again.

I got a new battery. I removed the fairing and disconnected, cleaned and reconnected most of the wiring connectors.

This is very frustrating, because after riding at highway speeds for over an hour, the battery ought to be charged, but when it shuts off, the battery is low, and will run all the way down if I keep trying to re-start.

Any suggestions?

92 Voyager XII
70K Miles
Owned for 5 years
Had a previous electrical problem - Wiring harness had loose connection - Intermittent problems with lights going out - wire shorted and burned - I bypassed connector -other wires in harness were in good condition - No more problems with lights.

[David (N. Alabama)]

What is your idle set at?

Do you periodically run SeaFoam or similar product though the fuel system to keep everything clean?

Hopefully others who have had the same experience will contribute soon.

Mine has only done that in the winter time at the end of my street if I don't let it warm up enough before riding off in the morning.

[Rhinestone Kawboy]

Have you checked your charging rate? Sounds like maybe your alternator is not charging the way it should, or there is a corroded connection somewhere. You might also want to check connections at the alternator if you already haven't.

[flip18436572]

What RPM is your engine at idle?

If your battery is not charged after running down the road for an hour without having a lot of extras pulling from the electrical system, and you still have a weak battery, my suggestion is to look at the charging system. You could have a bad connection, bad wire, bad or weak charging alternator. If it only happens after being at idle for a long time, I would suggest you might not be charging to the fullest because of a low rpm.

[dapasda]

I have run Seafoam through the bike (and my car also).

I don't know what the idle is set at. I suck at auto mechanics. I have thought that it idles pretty low, but I don't think that would explain the battery not charging after running for long period.

I don't know how to check the charging system, but I did recently buy a meter from Harbor Freight.

I have the normal Voyager stereo. I also have an intercom system, and a set of running lights. The problem happens sometimes when none of these additional components are running, so there should not be an extraordinary draw of power.

I have taken the bike to two local (small) shops. Neither of these shops wanted to tackle trying to track down an electrical problem. One of the shop owners said he doesn't like to work on Voyagers, "because you always have to take apart everything".

Examples of the problem:

The last three weeks a friend has been in the hospital in a town 2 and a half hours away. The ride takes me through very mountainous areas. The first time I went for a visit I rode about 1 1/2 hours, stopped for gas, and then rode about an hour. when I stopped at a traffic light in the city, the bike stalled. I could not get it started and pushed it over to the side. After just a minute or so I hit the starter, and it fired up.

On the next trip over I got all the way there. On the way home, about 1 1/2 hours into the return trip, I was coming to the bottom of a mountain, pulled in the clutch, and the bike stalled. I pulled over and let it sit for a few moments, hit the starter, and it fired up.

The third trip the same thing happened at the same place (at the bottom of the mountain). As I was approaching an intersection I pulled the clutch in, and the bike stalled. This time I just held in the clutch, coasted for a bit, and hit the starter, and the bike fired up.

This always happens after I have ridden for long periods of time. It never seems to happen when I am just running around our little town.

[Rusty - SC Iowa]

When you pull the clutch lever and the engine dies, does it:
1.) Immediately die without any hesitation, like turning the key off, or
2.) Does it kind of spit and sputter trying to keep running?

I have only had my XII for a little over a year, and still on a very steep vertical learning curve on this bike myself, so I won't be able to help much. The more you can pass on to the board, the more likely one of the symptoms will strike a chord with someone. To me if the bike dies immediately it sounds like electrical; switch, wire, etc. I'm not ruling out a carb problem completely for this type of sympto. If it doesn't quite immediately it sounds to me a carb issue.

I realize I'm not much help, but I will try to hook up with my local Kaw dealer mechanic and ask him. He knows the Voyager real good, and he overhauled my carbs for me last year and I consistantly run in the low 50's for mpg.

[dapasda]

When you pull the clutch lever and the engine dies, does it:
1.) Immediately die without any hesitation, like turning the key off, or
2.) Does it kind of spit and sputter trying to keep running?

I have only had my XII for a little over a year, and still on a very steep vertical learning curve on this bike myself, so I won't be able to help much. The more you can pass on to the board, the more likely one of the symptoms will strike a chord with someone. To me if the bike dies immediately it sounds like electrical; switch, wire, etc. I'm not ruling out a carb problem completely for this type of sympto. If it doesn't quite immediately it sounds to me a carb issue.

I realize I'm not much help, but I will try to hook up with my local Kaw dealer mechanic and ask him. He knows the Voyager real good, and he overhauled my carbs for me last year and I consistantly run in the low 50's for mpg.

It just cuts off, as if the key has been turned off (No sputtering). I am running in the 40s for mpg.

[flip18436572]

Where is Chris in K.C.??? He is good at trouble shooting the electrical problems in the XII. It sounds to me like an electrical problem. What I don't understand is that it doesn't happen all the time or at certain points while turning. I did have something similar, and I thought it had to do with the clutch when dying, but it was the kickstand switch.

Put the bike on the center stand, remove the side stand, and tighten and make sure the kickstand switch is in the proper position. That fixed my problem that was similar. We were headed out for a two hour trip to meet another couple, and had to cancel because of it.

Just something to look into.

[Doug in South Dakota]

Fuel pump points???

[David (N. Alabama)]

I have another question to help isolate things. If you are cruising down the road and pull in the clutch to shift gears does it cut out? Or only when stopped?

I think the side stand switch would only come into play when the clutch lever is released, not pulled in.

[flip18436572]

I have another question to help isolate things. If you are cruising down the road and pull in the clutch to shift gears does it cut out? Or only when stopped?

I think the side stand switch would only come into play when the clutch lever is released, not pulled in.

David, I agree with you that it should only come into play when it is released, but that fixed my problem that was similar, but it did it going down the road and when I tightened up the kickstand switch, it fixed my problem. I am not sure how, but it did.

[David (N. Alabama)]

I have another question to help isolate things. If you are cruising down the road and pull in the clutch to shift gears does it cut out? Or only when stopped?

I think the side stand switch would only come into play when the clutch lever is released, not pulled in.

David, I agree with you that it should only come into play when it is released, but that fixed my problem that was similar, but it did it going down the road and when I tightened up the kickstand switch, it fixed my problem. I am not sure how, but it did.

In your case, it was probably an issue where the kickstand switch was barely engaged, and a random bump caused the kickstand to move which released the switch and caused it to cut out. Common ailment on Dual sport bikes with kickstand switches and jumps.

Looking back at all the posts in this thread I am suspecting that the alternator is weak. I suggest putting a voltmeter on it and see what it's output is. The battery is not charging adaquately, and not enough juice to keep the bike running at idle. It does seem though from the description that the bike would cut out if the clutch was pulled in while moving in combination with letting the RPMs drop. This would more than likely occur when slowing down since you never let the RPMs drop when accelerating.

[flip18436572]

David, this was on the Voyager when I first got it running somewhat after I purchased it.

On the DRZ, I removed the clutch and kickstand switch in the first week of owning it. They went with the bike along with a lot of other stock parts that I was never going to use.

[dapasda]

I have another question to help isolate things. If you are cruising down the road and pull in the clutch to shift gears does it cut out? Or only when stopped?

I think the side stand switch would only come into play when the clutch lever is released, not pulled in.

It has not happened while driving at highway speeds. It always seems to happen when I am slowing to approach a stop sign or red light. I took a 7 hour trip on Monday, and the bike cut off four times.

Each time I was slowing down. One of the times I was in the left turn lane on a four lane road. I had to wait until traffic cleared, push the bike to the side of the road, and wait a few moments, then the bike started up.

I had used a trickle charger on the battery the night before, so the battery was at full charge when I left home.

Before taking the trip I took the Kickstand switch off, and cleaned it. I put it back on the bike and tested it, and it seemed to be working fine. I also took the faux tank off, and the side panels, and disconnected, cleaned, and reconnected every connector I could find. None of this seemed to help at all.

[flip18436572]

Can you restart it with the choke on full immediately?

[Chris near Kansas City]

Where is Chris in K.C.???

He's not so much "in" KC, as he is "near" KC.

I could not get it started

When you say you couldn't get it started, did it not turn over, or did it turn over fine and not fire, or?

When was the last time the fuel filter was replaced?

[EVAHank]

I think the fact that he can still start and ride the bike after a minute or 2 would eliminate the charging system. With a flat battery, the bike might restart, but would not run long, if at all (Don't ask me how I know!) I'm leaning toward Chris 'NEAR' KC's idea of a plugged gas tank vent causing a partial vacuum resulting in a lack of fuel flow. I'd check for fuel pump output with the engine hot, and go from there. My 2c.

Ride Safe & Sane;
Hank S
Rusty ('88 Voyager 1300/6)
Ol'Faithful (VXII, '03)
Voyager 1300/6~The Original Voyager!
(And Still the Best!)

[Rusty - SC Iowa]

I'm leaning toward Chris 'NEAR' KC's idea of a plugged gas tank vent causing a partial vacuum resulting in a lack of fuel flow.

I had thought of that as a possible problem, but if it was a venting problem it would normally start cutting out with the more throttle applied after running awhile, and then should recover somewhat when the throttle was released. I had this same problem on a tractor once and it screwed with my mind for awhile until I figured it out. It would run for awhile, then would start to cut out as in fuel starvation. If I backed the throttle off it would recover and run halfway normal. At first I thought I was getting a vapor lock in the fuel line because it ran close to the head. I finally unscrewed the fuel cap while it was acting up, and the engine smoothed out and ran perfectly.

Just a thought. To eliminate the fuel vacumn possibility could you go for a ride with the fuel access door open. Then when you get ready to pull the clutch in be ready to open the fuel cap. If it dies or starts to die, depending on how fast you are, open the cap and tighten it back up right away. If there was a vacumn in the tank that should be enough to equalize the pressure and the engine should run normal, or it should start back up right away. If this doesn't help I would have to say the tank is venting properly. IMO

[DaveofHutto]

I have run Seafoam through the bike (and my car also).

I don't know what the idle is set at.[ Look at the tachometer mounted on the dash it the one with RPM written on it. To set you idel lok at the left side of the bike at the carbs. You should see a small black knob there, This is your idle setting turn it up so the bike idles at 1000 RPM I suck at auto mechanics. I have thought that it idles pretty low, but I don't think that would explain the battery not charging after running for long period.

I don't know how to check the charging system, but I did recently buy a meter from Harbor Freight. Does the nuetral light get brighter when you rev the moter above 1500 to 2000 RPM.

I have the normal Voyager stereo. I also have an intercom system, and a set of running lights. The problem happens sometimes when none of these additional components are running, so there should not be an extraordinary draw of power.

I have taken the bike to two local (small) shops. Neither of these shops wanted to tackle trying to track down an electrical problem. One of the shop owners said he doesn't like to work on Voyagers, "because you always have to take apart everything".

Examples of the problem:

The last three weeks a friend has been in the hospital in a town 2 and a half hours away. The ride takes me through very mountainous areas. The first time I went for a visit I rode about 1 1/2 hours, stopped for gas, and then rode about an hour. when I stopped at a traffic light in the city, the bike stalled. I could not get it started and pushed it over to the side. After just a minute or so I hit the starter, and it fired up. Pull the faux tank cover, look to the left side of the ignition switch. Where you see the frame going to the steering head. is there a zip tie holding a wire loom down? If so remove the zip tie and with the motor running flex these wires. They break due to stress at the zip tie.

On the next trip over I got all the way there. On the way home, about 1 1/2 hours into the return trip, I was coming to the bottom of a mountain, pulled in the clutch, and the bike stalled. I pulled over and let it sit for a few moments, hit the starter, and it fired up.

The third trip the same thing happened at the same place (at the bottom of the mountain). As I was approaching an intersection I pulled the clutch in, and the bike stalled. This time I just held in the clutch, coasted for a bit, and hit the starter, and the bike fired up.

This always happens after I have ridden for long periods of time. It never seems to happen when I am just running around our little town.

Tell us if any of this helps

[DaveofHutto]

Oh , BTW you need to determine what voltage is coming out of the altenator. Use the meter you bought. with the bike running and the faux tank removed to expose the battery.
meter setup:
1.red wire to the red hole, black wire to the black hole
2. setting to the right mode, look for a V with a stright line above it. This is DC (direct current) which is what most charging systems use.
3. red to the positive side (+) and black to the negative(-) side of the battery.

start motor, measure voltage across battery with the RPMs at 2000.

results should be 13.5 to 14.5 volts.